Automatic flush device

ABSTRACT

An automatic flush device has a valve base, a detecting and controlling unit, an outer cap assembly, a guiding base and a water-controlling unit. The detecting and controlling unit is connected to the valve base and has a solenoid valve. The solenoid valve has a piston retractably mounted on the solenoid valve and having a head formed on an end of the piston. The water-controlling unit is mounted in the valve base, is connected with the guiding base and has a water-controlling tube. The water-controlling tube has a separating segment. The separating segment is formed in the water-controlling tube to divide an inner space of the water-controlling tube into a lower passage and an upper passage. The separating segment has at least one communicating channel, a controlling channel and a bypass channel.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a flush device, and more particularly to an automatic flush device having a solenoid valve to control the device to flush.

2. Description of Related Art

A manually operated flush device is usually applied in toilet or a bathroom. The conventional manually operated flush device has a lever to allow a user to push the lever for flushing after using the toilet. However, some uses easily forget to push the lever so as to cause hygienic problems. Therefore, a detecting and controlling unit is attached to a conventional manually operated flush device to solve the aforementioned problems. The conventional detecting and controlling unit comprises a detector and a gear assembly. The gear assembly is connected with the lever and the detector. When the detector detects that an object approaches and then leaves the flushing device, the gear assembly is driven to push the lever. Accordingly, the flush device will automatically flush after the toilet is used. However, the gear assembly of the conventional detecting and controlling unit is complicated in structure, to assemble and manufacture the gear assembly is difficult. In addition, the conventional gear assembly takes a large space to cause the volume of the conventional flush device taking a large space.

In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 7,549,436, entitled to “System and Method for Converting Manually Operated Flush valves” discloses a mechanical flush valve. However, the conventional mechanical flush valve of the '436 Patent also has a complicated structure and problems of being difficult in assembling and taking a large of space, and the electric power for the operation of the conventional mechanical flush valve is increased.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,431,181, entitled to “Automatic Valve Assembly” discloses another flush valve having a flexible diaphragm assembly and a central tube. However, to mount the flexible diaphragm assembly in a valve body is time-consuming and the central tube of the conventional flush valve of the '181 Patent has to be positioned precisely to close the bypass orifice by the piston, to assemble and manufacture the conventional flush valve of the '181 Patent is also difficult.

To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention tends to provide an automatic flush device to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main objective of the invention is to provide an automatic flush device that is easily assembled and manufactured.

The automatic flush device has a valve base, a detecting and controlling unit, an outer cap assembly, a guiding base and a water-controlling unit. The valve base has a valve body and an inlet tube. The valve body has an opening, a baffle and a holding tube. The opening is defined in a top of the valve body. The baffle is formed on a middle segment of the valve body to divide the valve body into an upper segment and a lower segment. The holding tube protrudes upward from the baffle to form an annular inlet chamber in the upper segment of the valve body. The inlet tube is connected to the upper segment of the valve body and communicates with the inlet chamber. The detecting and controlling unit is connected to the valve base and has a solenoid valve and a detector. The solenoid valve has a piston retractably mounted on the solenoid valve and having a head formed on an end of the piston. The detector is connected to the valve base and is electrically connected with the solenoid valve. The outer cap assembly is mounted securely on the top of the valve body of the valve base and closes the opening in the valve body of the valve base. The guiding base is mounted in the valve body under the outer cap assembly and has a guiding disk and a guiding tube. The guiding disk is located between the top of the valve body of the valve base and the outer cap assembly to form a guiding chamber between the guiding disk and the outer cap assembly and has a guiding hole defined through the guiding disk. The guiding chamber communicates with the inlet chamber via the guiding hole. The guiding tube is connected to a bottom of the guiding disk and is inserted into the holding tube. The water-controlling unit is mounted in the valve base, is connected with the guiding base and has a water-controlling tube inserted into the guiding tube. The water-controlling tube has a bottom end and a separating segment. The bottom end of the water-controlling tube protrudes from a bottom end of the guiding tube and is connected with the solenoid valve. The separating segment is formed in the water-controlling tube to divide an inner space of the water-controlling tube into a lower passage and an upper passage communicating with the guiding chamber. The separating segment has at least one communicating channel, a controlling channel and a bypass channel. The at least one communicating channel is longitudinally formed through the separating segment to communicate the upper passage with the lower passage via the at least one communicating channel. The controlling channel is longitudinally formed through the separating segment and having an upper opening and a lower opening closed by the head of the piston of the solenoid valve. The bypass channel is radially formed through the separating segment, communicates with the controlling channel and the lower segment of the valve body and is free from communicating with the at least one communicating channel.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an automatic flush device in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the automatic flush device in FIG. 1;

FIG. 2A is an enlarged perspective view of the water-controlling tube of the automatic flush device in FIG. 2;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view in partial section of the automatic flush device in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3A is an enlarged perspective view in partial section of the water-controlling tube of the automatic flush device in FIG. 3;

FIG. 4 is a side view in partial section of the automatic flush device in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an end view in partial section of the automatic flush device along the line 5-5 in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross sectional top view of the water-controlling tube of the automatic flush device along the line 6-6 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is an operational side view in partial section of the automatic flush device in FIG. 1 when the flush device is in a non-flushing status;

FIG. 8 is an operational end view in partial section of the automatic flush device in FIG. 7 when the flush device is in a non-flushing status;

FIG. 9 is an operational side view in partial section of the automatic flush device in FIG. 1 when the flush device is in a flushing status; and

FIG. 10 is an operational end view in partial section of the automatic flush device in FIG. 9 when the flush device is in a flushing status.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, an automatic flush device in accordance with the present invention comprises a valve base 10, a detecting and controlling unit 20, an outer cap assembly 30, a guiding base 40 and a water-controlling unit 50.

The valve base comprises a valve body 11, an inlet tube 12, an inlet hose 13 and a connecting tube 14. The valve base 11 comprises a valve body, a baffle 111 and a holding tube 112. The valve body has an opening defined in a top of the valve body. The baffle 111 is formed on a middle segment of the valve body to divide the valve body into an upper segment and a lower segment. The holding tube 112 protrudes upward from the baffle 111 to form an annular inlet chamber 113 in the upper segment of the valve body between the holding tube 112 and the inner surface of the valve body The inlet tube 12 is connected to the upper segment of the valve body and communicates with the inlet chamber 113. The inlet hose 13 is connected with the inlet tube 12 and communicates with the inlet chamber 113 via the inlet tube 12. The connecting tube 14 is connected and communicates with the lower segment of the valve body.

The detecting and controlling unit 20 is connected to the valve base 11 and comprises a solenoid valve 21, a wire 22 and a detector 23. The solenoid valve 21 is mounted in the lower segment of the valve body and has a piston 211 retractably mounted on the solenoid valve 21 to move upward and downward relative to the solenoid valve 21. The piston 211 has a head formed on an end of the piston 211. The detector 23 is connected to the outer surface of the lower segment of the valve body of the valve base 11 and is electrically connected with the solenoid valve 21 via the wire 22. The solenoid valve 21 and the detector 23 may be conventional, and the detail descriptions thereof are omitted.

The outer cap assembly 30 is mounted securely on the top of the valve body of the valve base 11, closes the opening in the valve body of the valve base 11 and is located above the detecting and controlling unit 20. The outer cap assembly 30 comprises a lower cap 31 and an upper cap 32. Each of the lower cap 31 and the upper cap 32 has an opening defined in a bottom of the cap 31,32. The lower cap 31 has a bottom edge abutting with a top edge of the valve body. The upper cap 32 has an annular inner bottom surface securely connected with an outer surface of the valve body, such that the lower cap 31 is located between the upper cap 32 and the top of the valve body of the valve base 11.

With reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, the guiding base 40 is mounted in the valve body under the outer cap assembly 30 and comprises a guiding disk 41 and a guiding tube 42. With reference to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the guiding disk 41 is located between the top of the valve body of the valve base 11 and the outer cap assembly 30 to form a guiding chamber 412 between the guiding disk 41 and lower cap 31 of the outer cap assembly 30. The guiding disk 41 has an annular bottom edge abutting with an annular inner edge of the valve body of the valve base 11. The guiding disk 41 has multiple guiding holes 413 defined longitudinally through the guiding disk 41, and the guiding chamber 412 communicates with the inlet chamber 113 via the guiding holes 413. The guiding disk 41 further has a positioning hole 411 axially formed through the center of the guiding disk 41. The guiding tube 42 is connected to a bottom of the guiding disk 41, communicates with the positioning hole 411 and is inserted into the holding tube 112. Preferably, the guiding disk 41 and the guiding tube 42 are integrally formed as a single part.

The water-controlling unit 50 is mounted in the holding tube 112 of the valve base 11, is connected with the guiding base 40 and comprises a connecting member 51 and a water-controlling tube 52. The connecting member 51 is inserted into the positioning hole 411 in the guiding disk 41 and has a bottom end extends into the guiding tube 42 and has an outer thread 512 formed on the outer surface of the bottom end. The connecting member 51 further has a through hole 511 axially formed through the connecting member 51 and communicating with the guiding chamber 412 between the lower cap 31 and the guiding disk 41.

The water-controlling tube 52 is inserted into the guiding tube 42, is connected with the bottom end of the connecting member 51 and has a bottom end protruding from a bottom end of the guiding tube 42 and connected with the solenoid valve 21. The water-connecting tube 52 further has a separating segment 521 formed in the water-controlling tube 52 to divide an inner space of the water-controlling tube into a lower passage 523 and an upper passage 522. Preferably, the separating segment 521 is cylindrical in a round section. The upper passage 522 communicates with the guiding chamber 412 and has an inner thread 524 formed on the inner surface of the upper passage 522 and crewed with the outer thread 512 on the connecting member 51.

The separating segment 521 has at least one communicating channel 525, a controlling channel 526 and a bypass channel 527. The at least one communicating channel 525 is longitudinally formed through the separating segment 521 to communicate the upper passage 522 with the lower passage 523 via the at least one communicating channel 525. Preferably, two communicating channel 525 are implemented. The controlling channel 526 is longitudinally formed through the separating segment 521 and has an upper opening and a lower opening closed by the head of the piston 211 of the solenoid valve 21. The lower opening of the controlling channel 526 is at located a position lower than the positions of the lower ends of the communicating channels 525. The bypass channel 527 is radially formed through the separating segment 521, communicates with the controlling channel 526 and the lower segment of the valve body and is free from communicating with the communicating channels 525. Preferably, with reference to FIG. 6, the two communicating channels 525 are respectively at positions of 0° and 180° of the section of the separating segment 521, and the bypass channel 527 has two ends at positions of 90° and 270° of the section of the separating segment 521 respectively. With reference to FIGS. 7 and 8, in a non-flushing status, the detector 23 does not detect any object approach the detector 23, the lower opening of the controlling channel 526 is closed by the head of the piston 211 of the solenoid valve 21. Water is led into the inlet chamber 113 via the inlet hose 13 and the inlet tube 12 and enters into the guiding chamber 412 via the guiding holes 413 in the guiding disk 41. The water enters into the upper passage 522 of the water-controlling tube 52 via the through hole 511 in the connecting member 51 and flows into the lower passage 523 via the communicating channels 525. Because the lower opening of the controlling channel 526 is closed by the head of the piston 211, water is kept from entering into the controlling channel 526 and stored in the inlet chamber 113, the guiding chamber 412, the through hole 511, the upper passage 522 and the lower passage 523.

With reference to FIGS. 9 and 10, in the flushing status, the detector 23 detects an object approaching and then leaving away the detector 23, the detector 23 actuates the solenoid valve 21 to retract the piston to move downward and away from the position where closes the lower opening of the controlling channel 526. Consequently, the water can flow into the controlling channel 526 and the bypass channel 527 and enter the lower segment of the valve body of the vale base 11 to flush via the connecting tube 14.

With such an arrangement, the communication between the communicating channels 525 and the controlling channel 526 can be controlled by the upward or downward movement of the piston 211 of the solenoid valve 21 so as to control the flush device to flush or not. The structure of the automatic flush device can be simplified, and the volume of the automatic flush device can be effectively reduced with the solenoid valve 21 being mounted inside the valve base 11. Because the solenoid valve 21 is a general component and easily gained, the difficulty of manufacturing the automatic flush device can also be reduced.

Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An automatic flush device comprising: a valve base comprising a valve body having; an opening defined in a top of the valve body; a baffle formed on a middle segment of the valve body to divide the valve body into an upper segment and a lower segment; and a holding tube protruding upward from the baffle to form an annular inlet chamber in the upper segment of the valve body; and an inlet tube connected to the upper segment of the valve body and communicating with the inlet chamber; a detecting and controlling unit connected to the valve base and comprising a solenoid valve having a piston retractably mounted on the solenoid valve and having a head formed on an end of the piston; and a detector connected to the valve base and electrically connected with the solenoid valve; an outer cap assembly mounted securely on the top of the valve body of the valve base and closing the opening in the valve body of the valve base; a guiding base mounted in the valve body under the outer cap assembly and comprising a guiding disk located between the top of the valve body of the valve base and the outer cap assembly to form a guiding chamber between the guiding disk and the outer cap assembly and having a guiding hole defined through the guiding disk, wherein the guiding chamber communicates with the inlet chamber via the guiding hole; and a guiding tube connected to a bottom of the guiding disk and inserted into the holding tube; and a water-controlling unit mounted in the valve base, connected with the guiding base and comprising a water-controlling tube inserted into the guiding tube and having a bottom end protruding from a bottom end of the guiding tube and connected with the solenoid valve; and a separating segment formed in the water-controlling tube to divide an inner space of the water-controlling tube into a lower passage and an upper passage communicating with the guiding chamber, and the separating segment having at least one communicating channel longitudinally formed through the separating segment to communicate the upper passage with the lower passage via the at least one communicating channel; a controlling channel longitudinally formed through the separating segment and having an upper opening and a lower opening closed by the head of the piston of the solenoid valve; and a bypass channel radially formed through the separating segment, communicating with the controlling channel and the lower segment of the valve body and being free from communicating with the at least one communicating channel.
 2. The automatic flush device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the guiding disk further has a positioning hole axially formed through the guiding disk; the water-controlling unit further comprises a connecting member inserted into the positioning hole in the guiding disk and having a bottom end securely connected with the water-controlling tube and a through hole axially formed through the connecting member and communicating with the guiding chamber.
 3. The automatic flush device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the guiding disk and the guiding tube are integrally formed as a single part.
 4. The automatic flush device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the separating segment of the water-controlling tube is cylindrical in a round section; and two communicating channels are implemented and are respectively at positions of 0° and 180° of the section of the separating segment; and the bypass channel has two ends at positions of 90° and 270° of the section of the separating segment respectively.
 5. The automatic flush device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the separating segment of the water-controlling tube is cylindrical in a round section; and two communicating channels are implemented and are respectively at positions of 0° and 180° of the section of the separating segment; and the bypass channel has two ends at positions of 90° and 270° of the section of the separating segment respectively. 